The Generosity of Strangers
And a goodbye fit for a (Lion) king.
As I write this, it’s Tuesday, January 7th around lunchtime, and in a few hours, I’ll be saying goodbye to my sweet Simba. (Writing this is both a distraction and a way to process, I suppose.) It’s been a long time coming, and I’m at peace knowing we did everything we could, and that we’ll be sending him out with a bang (read: Popeyes chicken and Chinese food).
This has been one of the hardest seasons of my life, but I’ve felt very comforted by so many of you—those who’ve reached out about your own experiences with loss, or have sent strength and love to us (I swear he felt it), or have shared ways to honor his life. I’ve read each and every comment and DM, and I am deeply grateful that this little community focused on travel lets me share the more human side of life.
If anyone is interested, I wrote this essay about him—I found it cathartic, as heartbreaking as it was. And it’d be the honor of my life to extend his legacy with all of you. So if you do decide to read it, thank you (and sorry if you need tissues). ❤️🩹
I originally had grand plans to share my thoughts on group travel this week—and ultimately, why I don’t think group travel as a solo traveler is for me. (A spoiler for later?) But given the circumstances we’re in, I wanted to share something else travel-related this week: the generosity of strangers (including many of you!).
We’ve spent nearly the last 100 days at home exclusively focused on Simba, and it’s a time I’ve deeply treasured. But we are also exhausted emotionally and physically and in desperate need of a getaway. Being elsewhere lets me grieve without being right where we lost him, and it also allows me to focus on the present.
Since this feels relatively urgent, I threw out an ask in an Award Travel 101 Facebook group if anyone knew of last-minute accommodations or airfare where we could go via points/miles, in order to decompress and grieve for a few days.
Strangers from all over the globe shared recommendations, and one even generously said she’d upgrade us if we stayed at a Hyatt property, since she’s a Globalist member. She lost her pet last year and knew this grief well, and I was so touched by her offer. A complete stranger giving us solace when we needed it most.
There were also many comments from others who experienced the same kind of loss, some who shared suggestions of where to escape to, but many of them were simply sending their strength, love, and comfort in this time.
Going through grief is universal, that much I already knew, but the amount of care and thoughtfulness extended from strangers to support us really warmed my heart. I’d love to know if the generosity of strangers ever helped you in some way, maybe by returning a lost wallet or keepsake, or by lending you medicine when you were sick.
I shared this before and I’ll say it again: Travel is the escape I need sometimes to deal with life, and this is no exception. And I’m so grateful for everyone’s altruism and benevolence in this space—it’s a big part of why I wanted to build this community here. I hope to extend the same love and care to you, should you ever need it. xx
🛩️ Flying Blue’s January promos are pretty incredible, with tons of flight deals between the US and Europe for 30k roundtrip. And if you use the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel bonus for KLM miles, it’ll be closer to 25k.
💊 For meds at home and when you travel, I love this pill box. It’s very sleek, subtle (aka it doesn’t look like a pill box), and includes a helpful mirror.
🔮 I’m always intrigued by travel predictions, and this 2025 list from Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) piqued my interest. Scott was 10 for 12 from last year’s predictions. I’m excited about #1, #3, and #6—less so about #11.
💨
shared this portable carbon monoxide detector and I think we could all use it. $30 for peace of mind is worth it, IMO.📙 And a very special book from
(from where I work full-time) that’s now available for pre-order. Add it to your summer reading list, I promise it’s invaluable.
I’ll be back next week, maybe (finally) with that piece on group travel—but in the meantime, hug your loved ones extra hard for me.
— Henah xx
What a beautiful tribute and record of your love for Simba! I learned so much from my grief and loss of my heart dog, Yoshi. It's such a painful experience and people who haven't lost a pet cannot understand the depth of feeling. Only you and Jovanni know Simba and love him as your family. I'm so grateful for you sharing your experience and helping others feel less alone.
This is a reminder for me to allow strangers to be generous. I struggle with being open or accepting help. I'm sure there have been people who have extended an offer but I felt too much shame around needing support. I can bring more focus and intention on noticing the kindness of strangers.
So sorry for your loss. :/ And I'm looking forward to your perspective on group travel as a solo traveler and why it's not for you. I can't do much traveling on my own right now due to being a co-caregiver, but I was eyeballing group travel agencies like LuxeTribes to travel with other people.